Dakota is taking some tips from Ripley, it seems, on how to be a sly little brat. He is in the process of training my mother to play a game with him.

He will take a tennis ball on our walks, walk up in front of her, and lie down immediately so she HAS to stop to avoid stepping on him. Then, if she tries to move, he moves so that he's in front of her again. If she turns away, he scrambles to get up and lie in front of her again, the entire time watching her with this WILD-eyed stare.
When he thinks he's got her penned in one spot, he lets go of the ball and looks up at her like "Pleeeeeeease, Grammy, throw it?" If she ignores the look, he will pick up the ball and bump her foot with it, until she agrees to throw it. When she reaches down to get it, though, he'll snatch it up and run away, with the biggest grin on his face!

It is the most comical thing to watch, I will try to get a video of it on our next walk. For now, here's a picture.